Public Safety

The Galax Police Department has issued a safety advisory after hearing multiple reports of bear sightings in the city during the fall season.
Police received another report the afternoon of Oct. 25, after a citizen spotted a black bear prowling around First Citizens Bank on Cranberry Road in Galax. Further sightings pinpointed the animal heading in the direction of Walmart minutes later.

HILLSVILLE — The infamous “Tater Hole” in the Laurel section of Carroll County on Interstate 77 had yet another wreck over the weekend, according to the Virginia State Police.
The incident occurred Saturday at 2:50 a.m. and involved a 2006 Freightliner tractor-trailer heading north at the 22.4 mile marker, according to a report from Trooper Matt Cochran.
The tractor-trailer overturned at the steep embankment after it apparently tried to take the sharp curve too fast and fell over against the guardrail.

INDEPENDENCE — The Grayson County Sheriff’s Office was recently awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for police vehicles.
The $25,000 grant required a local match of $8,400, for a total of $33,400, according to Sheriff Richard Vaughan.

FRIES — A Fries man has been arrested in connection with an undercover Internet operation involving child pornography.
According to a news release from Grayson County Sheriff Richard Vaughan, on June 12, 2012, Grayson Investigator D.B. Carner, a member of the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children (SOVA ICAC) Task Force, conducted an investigation that revealed a computer in Fries was offering to participate in the distribution of known or suspected files of child pornography through public peer-to-peer file sharing programs on the internet.

As of Monday afternoon, a reward stood at $700 for information leading to the conviction of a suspect in an animal cruelty case.
According to the Twin County Humane Society, there has been an outpouring of support online from people pledging money to a reward fund, after The Gazette published a story about a cat named Tiger who was abused.

HILLSVILLE — Unknown individuals have helped themselves to picnic tables meant to serve the crowds at the Grover King VFW Post 1115.
The tables served everything from family birthday parties to the Labor Day Gun Show and Flea Market masses.
VFW member Andrew Bowman used his regular “Veterans Corner” column this week to request that people be on the lookout for two missing 10-foot-long tables from Kitchen No. 1 on the grounds of the Hillsville post.